Ensure testing of e-PoS devices for smooth roll out of ONORC scheme: Delhi govt to officers

The Delhi government has directed all assistant commissioners to ensure testing of e-PoS devices at fair price shops under their jurisdiction by Saturday evening for the hassle-free rollout of the Centre's ''One Nation One Ration Card'' scheme.

Additional Commissioner, Food and Civil Supplies Department, Kuldeep Singh issued an order on Friday warning of action against officials if the test transactions are not conducted using e-PoS devices, which are central to the implementation of the ONORC scheme.

Under the scheme, persons holding a ration card under the National Food Security Act can collect their monthly quota of food grain from any FPS across the country.

The portability depends on ePoS machines, which use Aadhaar-linked biometric authentication to verify the identity and entitlement of beneficiaries.

The Supreme Court had earlier ordered the implementation of the scheme across the country by July 31.

On July 7, the department had directed 117 out of the 2,000-odd FPS in Delhi to conduct 50 trial transactions through e-PoS devices to ensure preparedness for the launch of the scheme in the capital.

Earlier, training was given to all FPS dealers regarding e-PoS operation.

''Despite passage of a week's time, as reported by IT Branch, still 117 FPSs have not tested e-PoS devices even for a single transaction. This is a grave matter and may affect smooth roll out of the ONORC scheme,'' Singh said in the order.

''All concerned Asstt. Commissioners are directed to ensure testing each and every e-PoS devices under their jurisdiction latest by tomorrow (Saturday) evening by 5 pm. Non-compliance will be taken seriously and action, deemed fit, will be taken against the concerned officers,'' the order read.

Delhi had suspended the use of ePoS in early 2018 following complaints of poor network leading to authentication failures and exclusion of genuine beneficiaries.

Since then, the Centre has been writing to the Delhi government to resume it to enable ''transparent'' distribution of food grains.

In April, the Delhi food department had rolled out the Centre's ONORC scheme in Seemapuri on a pilot basis.

In June, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal had rejected the Delhi government's proposal for the launch of its flagship ''doorstep delivery of ration'' scheme citing a lack of clearance from the Centre and an ongoing court case involving the scheme.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)